|
_-_Conclusion_001.jpg) Muhammad, the Prophet of Islam, who passed away in 632, related:
“This world is a prison for the believer, but
for the disbeliever it is a Paradise. While for the disbeliever, the Hereafter
will be a prison, but for the believer, it will be his Paradise.”
Once, in the early period of Islam, a poor Christian happened
upon one of the great scholars of Islam, who was at the time mounted upon a fine
horse and clad in fine garments. The Christian recited to the well-to-do
Muslim the hadeeth quoted above, before remarking: “Yet I stand
before you a non-Muslim, poor and destitute in this world, while you are a
Muslim, rich and prosperous.” The scholar of Islam replied: “Indeed so.
But if you knew the reality of what might await you (of eternal punishment) in
the Hereafter, you would consider yourself now to be in Paradise by comparison.
And if you knew the reality of what might await me (of eternal bliss) in the
Hereafter, you would consider me now to be in prison by comparison.”
Thus, it is from the great mercy and justice of God that
he created Heaven and Hell. Knowledge of the Hellfire serves to dissuade man
from wrong-doing while a glimpse into the treasures of Paradise incites him
towards good deeds and righteousness. Those who deny their Lord, work evil and
are unrepentant will enter Hell: a place of real pain and suffering. While the
reward for righteousness is the place of unimaginable physical beauty and
perfection that is His Paradise.
Often, people testify to the goodness of their own souls
by claiming that any good they do is purely and solely out of a genuine love of
God or to live by a universal moral and virtuous code, and for that, they do
not need any sticks or carrots. But when God speaks to man in the Quran, He does
so knowing the fickleness of his soul. The delights of Paradise are real,
physical, tangible delights. Man can begin to appreciate just how desirable the
perfect, abundant and unending food, clothing and homes of Paradise can be precisely
because he is aware of how satisfying and sweet those things can be in this
present reality.
“Beautified for men is the love of things they covet: women,
children, hoards of gold and silver, branded beautiful horses, cattle and
well-tilled land. Such is the pleasure of the present life; but with Allah is
the excellent return (to Paradise).” (Quran 3:14)
Likewise, man can begin to appreciate just how tortuous
and terrifying Hellfire and its furnishings could be precisely because he is aware
of how awful a burning by fire can be in this world. So, the journey of the
soul after death, as described to us in vivid detail by God and His Prophet, Muhammad,
may the mercy and blessings of God be upon him, should and must serve as
nothing but an incentive to what all of humanity surely and truly recognizes as
its noble purpose: the worship and service of its Creator in selfless love, awe
and gratitude. After all,
“…they were not commanded except that they should worship
Allah (alone), being sincere to the upright religion (of Islam).” (Quran 98:5)
But, as for those many multitudes amongst mankind who,
throughout the ages, neglect their moral duty to their Lord God and their
fellow man, let then not forget that:
“Every soul will taste death, and you will only be given your
[full] compensation on the Day of Resurrection. So whoever is drawn away from
the Fire and admitted to Paradise, it is indeed he who has succeeded. And what
is the life of this world except the enjoyment of delusion.” (Quran 3:185)
|
